Cab drivers gather Friday at a City Hall hearing on a proposed cab regulations.

Since then, the taxi business and the way the city regulates the business have seen considerable change.

On Friday, Ald. Robert Bauman, who had led the city's effort to change the way taxis are regulated in the city, will provide more details of his new plan to end the cap on taxicab permits and rewrite the current ordinance to accommodate the arrival of new ride-sharing services like Uber and Lyft.

Perhaps not coincidentally, Lyft, a smartphone app that connects riders with background-checked community drivers, plans to launch in Milwaukee at 7 p.m.., according to company spokeswoman Paige Thelen.

"We look forward to working with city leaders in Milwaukee as we’ve worked with many city and state regulators like the California Public Utilities Commission to find a path forward for ride-sharing that protects public safety while allowing for innovation and consumer choice," Thelen said.

Also in the market is Uber, another smartphone app connecting drivers and riders.

Bauman's proposal, which will be discussed at the Public Transportatio Review Board on Friday morning, aims to revise the city's ordinance governing public passenger vehicle licensing, permitting, regulation and enforcement. He said he's proposing a major makeover because of the extraordinary demand for more permits and the fact that new ride-sharing services are moving into the Milwaukee market.

Bauman acknowledges he's not sure how much support he will get among the 13 other members of the Common Council. He can also expect blowback from the established taxi companies in town, which have filed suit in federal court.

Bauman's proposed measure sets up a single category of public passenger motor vehicle for hire permits that encompasses the traditional cab and contract fares such as limousines, shuttles, ride-share vehicles and motorcycles.

Bauman said he believed the new ride-sharing services fall within the city's current definition of a taxicab.